Heroes of Olympus Book 2: The Son of Neptune
by FantasyFoSho
Summary: Percy finds himself at the militarized Camp Imperium, home of the the once mighty Roman Legions, but he doesn't remember a thing! The warriors don't trust him, and he must prove his worth and climb the ranks of a harsh system to gain respect and trust.
1. Chapter 1

**I**

-Camp Imperium-

Night fell, and lightning crackled across the sky, charging the damp air with white-hot energy. There was a flash and rain poured heavily over the San Francisco Bay Area. Three seconds of torrential downpour and then nothing. The sky ceased its roaring, the water ceased its pouring, and the bay became silent. In the center of the region there lay tucked within a barrier of densely packed trees a heavily fortified camp. It was no ordinary camp, befitting of the camp's inhabitants. It was a camp for demigods. 

* * *

Although neither the rain nor the lightning intruded on their perfect-weather haven, the inhabitants of the camp were both startled and wary. The weather was unusual, even for them. Weather so erratic and unpredictable was most likely a bad omen from the gods.

Commodus, the stoic, burly director of the camp stared up at the skies, his lower lip trembling from either horror or anticipation. His shaggy black hair and rugged beard seemed to quiver along with the rest of his body. "Jupiter forbid…" he muttered, before turning his heel and marching back into his purple command pavilion. Above the entrance was emblazoned a crest bearing the letters **SPQR**. _Senatus Populusque Romanus._

Throughout the entire camp, similar reactions were displayed on the faces of the campers. They did not yet know what these events meant, but they knew something was up, and that something couldn't be good. It never was.

One by one, campers filed out of their cabins, seemingly drawn by a force of sorts. The camp ground, empty just minutes before, was now filled with a crowd of teenagers all dressed in mandatory purple sleepwear. From Mars Cabin marched out a group of muscular teens, their weapons drawn and at the ready. Across from them, another group filed out, noisier than the rest. They were children of Bacchus, god of Partying and Wine, naturally, and despite their rowdy nature, even they were affected in a way by the weather. Through the Bacchus crowd a dark haired boy pushed through.

"Excuse me!" he shouted as he shoved aside a girl holding an empty wine glass. Seconds later the glass shattered.

"Watch where you're going, Bob!" the girl screeched, angrily. "That glass was magical!"

Bobby winced, but pushed forward anyways. A couple more glasses shattered as he continued on, finally reaching a clearing. After a quick glance around, Bobby followed the direction of each camper's gaze. He looked skyward, noticing the clear, dark skies. He furrowed his brow, confused. All of this noise just to stare at the skies? He didn't get it. Bobby crossed his arms. He was normally the smartest one in his cabin. Being the smartest also came with a couple stereotypes. He was Asian, with light-brown skin and as such, many of his cabin mates connected his intelligence with his background, which annoyed him as if his gifts and accomplishments meant nothing. His brothers and sisters were cool but sometimes the alcohol gets to them.

"Bobby!" a girl's voice cried.

Bobby turned around, spotting a flurry of red hair. He knew at once who possessed such wild and extravagant hair. "'Sup Reyna!" he said, cool as a cucumber. The daughter of Venus stopped in front of him, her hands clutching her jeans as she panted. Her face was red and her eyes were glassy as if she were crying; though that did not stop her from being beautiful. Uh-oh, Bobby thought. This couldn't be good. He pondered as she caught her breath the reasons which could evoke such extreme behaviour. Reyna almost never cried. Did she and Jason…

"It's Jason." She finally said, gulping. She sniffed. "He's gone missing."

Bobby's world suddenly stopped. Jason? Missing? His best friend was gone? His stomach sank and he tried hard not to shed tears. "Have you guys looked for him?" Bobby asked, despite knowing the answer he would receive.

"Yes." Reyna, replied as she stood straight, her breath caught. Her crimson hair flowed perfectly and naturally around her face and a single bang obscured her left eye momentarily before she brushed it away. Her eyes, though puffy, were a warm auburn colour and her face was flawless. She was seventeen, a year older than Bobby, but already she was the most beautiful girl he'd seen, apart from Venus, her mother, whom he had seen but briefly before their attack on Mount Tam. He however did not possess romantic feelings for her as his heart belonged to someone else. Who that someone was, he knew not, but he had a feeling that he'd find out eventually.

"We haven't found him. Not a single trace." She finished, her eyes half closing as she stared sadly at the ground. Jason was Bobby's best friend and Reyna's girlfriend. They had just hooked up after several years and Bobby realized how devastated Reyna must be. He reached out a hand to comfort her but before he could do so, a single clear horn blared across camp. The sound of hooves trampling the grass was heard and Bobby spun around. The magical torches scattered across the camp were enough for one to see clearly during the night.

Squinting, Bobby gasped. A unit of thirty horsemen stood at the edge of the cabins, their weapons sheathed. One horseman carried a pole with a banner that bore the letters SPQR and a statue of an eagle which was perched on top. He was the emblem bearer, and it was said to be bad luck if he fell in battle and his emblem was taken by enemy hands. These men were original cavalry of the Roman armies, but were brought back to life to serve the camp. They were men who accepted offers from the gods to become immortal as long as they served Camp Imperium and as long as their eagle did not fall. Within the center of the camp was a circular construction of pillars, veiled with black cloth so that it looked like a circular tent with a flat roof. That was the rebirthing station, where the Camp's immortal guardians would reform as long as the requirements of their pact were kept. The eagles must not fall.

The leader of the turmae (cavalry squadron) trotted forward on his horse. He was clean shaven and wore a Roman legionary helmet with a red feathered Mohawk coming down its center. He dropped the reins and announced in a loud voice. "We have found an intruder!"

A collective gasp spread among the ranks of campers, numbering at least fifty. Whispers were heard as the many campers began deciphering the news. Reyna, however, ran forward, Bobby trailing behind her. She paused in front of the commander.

"Tiberius." She addressed him in a clear voice, bowing her head in respect. Tiberius returned the bow. "Have you found him?" Reyna asked, in an anticipated tone.

Tiberius shook his head, sadly. "We have searched everywhere. Jason Grace could not be found. We have sent out the dogs, but they are expected to return empty handed."

Reyna looked as if she was going to burst out crying, but with an effort, she held her tears. Tiberius cleared his throat. "Marcus!" he shouted. A man behind him responded with a "Yes sir?"

"Bring forward the prisoner."

The sound of clanging chains was heard as Marcus led the prisoner with his horse. He brought him before the crowd and the exhausted teenager dropped to his knees. He had jet black hair, light skin, and ocean green eyes. He wore a dirty orange shirt. Commodus stepped out from his pavilion and examined the boy, his eyes widening. "You!" he said, with shock.

"This is our prisoner." Tiberius announced. The crowd gasped as he showed them Percy Jackson.

* * *

_**Hello all! I have just read the book and figured it would be kinda neat to try writing a fanfic about it. As the title suggests, this fic will be about my ideas of how book 2 will turn out. It's my first Percy Jackson fanfic so perhaps you'll be kind on me with the critiques. I like constructive criticism so if you find any flaws in my writing please tell me about them so that I could improve! Thanks!**_

_**Edit: Found that Aphrodite/Venus/Mother mixup! It's been rectified! Sorry for the confusion!**_


	2. Chapter 2

**II**

-Camp Imperium-

* * *

**Percy**

The news was greeted by tremendous outcries from the assemblage of campers. There was a lot of fist shaking and threats being thrown around. Percy looked at them sullenly, his eyes drooping; threatening to close. What was he doing here? He wondered, as he stared at his surroundings. He had no recollection of how he got here, when he got here, and where he had been before. Nothing. Every time he tried to remember a memory from his past, he was met with an intensely powerful wall of nothingness. It was frightening, as if an entire part of his body had been lost forever.

He sank lower in the dirt, his hands gripping the grass around him. _Clink._ Percy flinched. He raised his arms, examining the odd contraption strapped to his wrists. His eyes widened. _Handcuffs?_ Had he been arrested? Before he could ponder anything else, a tall, intimidating, and crazily muscular man appeared before him. This man was obviously of high rank. He bore shaggy black hair and a rugged beard not too long, but not too short either. He wore a white toga and a matching red sash with a pin on his right breast that held the letters **SPQR** and on his head was a crown of laurels, gold from what he could see, though it was too dark to clearly tell. At the man's hip was a sword, a spatha; ceremonially decorated with engravings of gold and silver. The pommel held a large jewel, bright red, perhaps a ruby. His eyes were wide as he examined the shivering teenager before him.

"You." The man began. His voice was deep and commanding. "What is your name?"

Percy stared at him, his eyes half open. He opened his mouth to answer but realized that he _couldn't_. Along with his memories, he had forgotten his own name. Percy closed his eyes, his head falling forward slowly. He could not answer. He was an intruder, as he had guessed, and he could not answer. Surely he would die. He had no memories, nothing to hold on to. He bowed his head, defeated; accepting his fate. He opened his eyes, staring at the earth. _Your name is Percy_. A voice inside him whispered. Percy flinched. What just happened? _Your name,_ the voice continued,_ is Percy Jackson._

"Who are you?" Percy asked, loudly and unintentionally. The gathered campers began muttering. A few gasped, as if he had done them a great dishonour. The man in front of him snarled. Quicker than a man of his size could normally move, the man rushed forward, drawing his sword. Before Percy could even blink, a sword point was pressed beneath his chin.

"Answer the question, boy." The man, repeated, his eyes threatening. Percy knew that if he did not answer right away, he would die.

"Percy Jackson, sir." He gulped. "My name is Percy Jackson."

The man's eyes widened and he shuddered, stepping back. His sandals slid across the dirt, creating a tiny dust cloud. "So it is true…" He muttered, before catching himself. With a sudden change of expression, he cleared his throat, extending his hand. "I have been awaiting your arrival, Percy Jackson." He said, softly so that the others could not hear. Percy took his hand and stood. "My name is Commodus." He stated sternly. "I am the director of this camp."

Percy nodded, unsure of what to say. The man seemed nicer than he looked, but Percy did not want to risk his life on that loose assumption. Inching closer to him, Commodus whispered into Percy's ear. "Follow me," he said, "we have much to speak about. We have much to discuss. We have much to prepare."

Without thinking, Percy nodded and straggled behind the man as he marched towards a large purple tent near the center of the camp. As they walked, his bonds magically snapped, allowing him free use of his hands. Percy rubbed his wrists, which had gone red from the pressure applied by the handcuffs. Upon arriving at the tent, which Commodus explained was the "command tent", the burly director paused and gestured for him to proceed. With a _swish_, the two disappeared behind the flaps of the tent's eagle emblazoned entrance. Behind them, two Praetorian Guards; heavily decorated and valiant men whose mission was to protect the Emperor, followed suit. The crowd behind them, which had made way before their path as they marched, stood silent and in awe of what had just occurred. Often when an intruder was found in camp, they would be executed immediately. However, this intruder seemed different, and the campers knew that. Even the dimmest of minds knew that. Reyna Ryerson _definitely _knew that.

* * *

**Bobby**

"So what do you think all that was about?" Bobby asked Reyna as they walked back to their respective cabins.

Reyna did not answer immediately. She was deep in thought, as Bobby could see, for she was biting her lower lip; a telltale sign that her highly intellectual mind was currently at work. Reyna brushed back a bang and looked at him. "We need to find out who that guy is. He has answers." She announced, simply. To Bobby, it seemed as if she had gotten into extreme 'find Jason' mode. The mourning part for her was long past, and it was time for her to get into the action. She was not a daughter of Minerva, but on an IQ test she might have easily been mistaken for one.

"Okay…" Bobby mouthed slowly. "But before I agree with you like always, why do we need to talk to this guy again?"

Reyna rolled her eyes… Like always. "Don't you get it?" she asked, slightly exasperated, very much annoyed. "Jason goes missing. The _exact_ same night he goes missing, a stranger shows up. Can't you see? Jason and this new guy are almost the same age. He has something to do with Jason's disappearance. I can _feel _it."

Bobby sighed and nodded his head, agreeing with her. "Alright." He said, submissively. "I'll help you out, but just as long as we don't run into another family of ogres. I don't want another replay of 'barbequing incident'."

"We definitely don't want a replay of _that_." Reyna agreed, smiling. "But I don't think that was as bad as the 'Unicorn Travesty'."

Bobby's eyes widened and he bent over, pretending to vomit. "Please, don't remind me." He said, as if the story were a highly infectious, deadly disease. "I still get nightmares about that." This time, they both laughed. Real laughs.

Almost immediately after, Reyna eyes turned glassy and tears began to form. Her lips curled as she tried to maintain a calm nonchalant smile, though she was unable to. A tear broke off from the overflowing lake around her eyes, leaving a crystal trail as it slid down her cheek towards the ground below. She stood there, her hands covering her face, sobbing. Bobby stared at her sadly, knowing how difficult her predicament was, also knowing that there was little he could do about it. He reached out an arm to comfort her once more, and this time he wasn't interrupted by a squadron of Roman cavalry or Equites. He placed the palm of his hand on her shoulder. It was warm. She pulled close to him, placing her forehead on his left breast, crying into his shirt. Bobby sighed. Reyna and he have been friends for nearly ten years now, and such comforting was not uncomfortable to them. It was what friends do. Friends help friends out when friends are sad. Or so it goes. _What a shame,_ Bobby thought. _This is a new shirt. _

He pulled out a wineglass, extracting it from a pouch on his waist. With his forefinger, he flicked the side of the glass and it was instantaneously filled with an indigo liquid; wine. "Care for a drink?" he asked Reyna, who still sobbed occasionally.

"No thanks." She sniffed. "You know I don't drink."

"Well, if you ever change your mind." Bobby smiled, as he held up the wine glass.

"No, I don't think I will." Reyna replied, her mood brightening considerably. She stepped back from him, wiping the remaining tears away with the cuff of her scarlet sweater. She smiled. "You're a great friend Bobby."

"Please, tell me something I don't know."

They laughed.


	3. Chapter 3

**II**

Camp Imperium

* * *

**Percy**

Night passed by, and the sun came up gently like a child peering over a flat surface, its eyes curious and watchful. Somewhere outside, birds tweeted and animals made their mating cries. A howl was heard, though it was an ordinary sound within this camp, for it meant that the camp's guardians were alive and well. A louder howl was heard, stiff and commanding. The camp's leader, Lupa the she-wolf, had returned from a journey unknown. Percy Jackson did not know this. In fact, he did not know much at all, particularly in his certain situation. He opened his eyes, his sea green orbs observing his surroundings. He was lying down, facing a boarded, rectangular ceiling. The wood was painted a mixture of green and blue, probably turquoise. In the center was a chandelier of dark sapphire hue, which shed light without need of heat, chemicals, or any other form of energy or reaction.

Percy Jackson sat up, feeling groggy. Again, his mind was empty. Where had he been the previous night? He furrowed his brow, thinking deeply. He remembered. The events of the night past flooded through him in the form of flashbacks and odd shady montages. He had arrived at a camp, or was found at a camp. He was an intruder. There were a lot of teenagers wearing purple shirts. The letters **SPQR** came back to him frequently. There was a tall muscular man; Commodus. He was the director, but not the leader of the camp. He served a higher power, which in turn served an even higher power. He remembered walking into a purple tent, larger than the rest. The command tent, it was. He and the director talked for long periods, but oddly, he could not remember what it was they had talked about. Not all of it at least. Fragments came back to him.

"_Percy Jackson," the man named Commodus said. "Is that your name?"_

_"Y-yes sir," Percy answered. "That is my name."_

_Commodus stroked his scraggly beard. He seemed to be thinking hard about something. Whether that thing he was thinking about was good, Percy did not know. He did not care to know. He was tired, amnesiac, hungry, and confused. He did not care about many things, but answered the man honestly and to the best of his abilities. He figured that getting on this man's bad side was not a good move on his part. Those two guards behind him did not seem like slouches either. He would not be able to escape, though he wasn't trying to._

"_Percy…" Commodus continued. "Do you remember anything of your past?"_

_"N-no, sir," Percy answered quickly. "My memory has been lost."_

"_No, not lost…" Commodus mumbled. He was thinking again and his last words trailed. "I believe they were stolen, and probably for good reason."_

_Percy raised a brow. Stolen? For what purpose would someone steal his memories? "Stolen, sir?" Percy asked._

"_Yes…" Commodus was starting to get out of focus. _

To Percy, the scene began to blur, and he was struggling to remember much of what happened next. After what seemed like a lengthy time skip, clear coherent memories returned to him. He was in the same room, with the same people.

"_Percy, listen to me…" Commodus whispered, making serious eye contact. "You may not remember the words spoken before this, but they will come to you when the time comes, and when you need them most. They will return, Percy, for they will be not stolen, but hid. You must not fail this mission. Do not speak of this discussion to anyone, is that understood?"_

_Percy nodded. "Yes, sir." And the memory faded away. _

Percy blinked; the scenery around him regained normality, though the thoughts and memories continued to mill about in his mind. He sat up yawning. Prisoner or not, he'd had a very relaxing night's rest. He stole another glance around the room. He was in a cabin, oddly familiar, but similarly unfamiliar to him. The room was rectangular and his bed lay at the short side of it. Parallel to him was a statue, with blue-fire bearing braziers at its side. The statue was that of a man, also familiar to Percy. The statue was not coloured but he could tell its features all the same. The man portrayed in stone was heavyset, with short wavy hair and a neatly trimmed beard. In his right hand he held a trident and his pose was commanding, as if he were leading an army. Percy knew who this man- or, not-man was.

"Poseidon…" Percy whispered, the realization coming upon him. That single name echoed throughout his mind like a revelation. _Poseidon… Poseidon…_ Percy stared at his hands. _I am the son of Poseidon_. He concluded as it dawned on him.

"I am the son of Poseidon." Percy repeated this time out loud. He allowed himself a smile, proud that he'd discovered part of himself on his own. "I am the son of Poseidon!"

"Yes you are," A voice agreed. It was female, but not all that threatening.

Percy, spun around, watching as a wolf strode into the room. He raised a brow. It was large with great white teeth and majestic white fur with overlaying layers of grey and brown. The wolf padded to a stop at his feet, staring into his eyes intently. Percy diverted his gaze towards the direction that the wolf emerged from, awaiting its keeper.

"There is no one else." The female voice spoke again. Percy jumped. He stared at the wolf, his mouth agape.

"Did you just…?" He asked, unable to complete the sentence.

"Yes." The voice answered in annoyance. "You're not that bright are you?"

"I like to think that I am." Percy replied. "My missing memories keep getting in the way."

"The question was rhetoric." The wolf's eyes flashed. It bared its teeth, as if it were disappointed at his answer. "You say you are the son of Poseidon?" the wolf asked.

"Well, yeah. I just had this _feeling._" Percy felt uneasy. It was odd talking to a wolf, especially a giant one that was half his height.

The wolf nodded. "Yes, well that feeling was correct." At this Percy grinned. "However," she said, "Around here, your father is called Neptune; you would be wise to remember that. There are many who would not take it kindly should you use his Greek name."

Percy nodded. _Neptune, not Poseidon_, he thought. _I can handle that._

The wolf turned away. "My name is Lupa," she told him. "I am the director of this camp. Don't think of me as kind, Percy Jackson. I am far from it." Lupa padded away, stopping after a few steps. "Breakfast starts in ten minutes. After you've finished cleaning this disaster of a cabin, you may join the other campers at the Dining Hall. It is not far from here. Upon leaving your cabin, it is the large building to the south. You are a loud sleeper and the cabin next to you has not enjoyed the night as well as you have." At that, the large wolf stepped out of the cabin. The door slammed seemingly by itself, leaving Percy alone.

He was at a loss for words. Did he really just have a conversation with a talking wolf? _Please don't let me be hallucinating. _He prayed. _Please._

Looking at the room before him, Percy felt a pang of embarrassment. The room was a disaster. Water flooded the floor, papers were scattered everywhere; the only place that was not completely annihilated was a small table next to his bed. Upon it were two items of interest; a wristwatch, and a ballpoint pen. At the pen, the voice from the night before spoke once more. _Its name is Anaklusmos._ The voice explained. This time, Percy could tell it was feminine, but the intruder's voice was different from Lupa's. It carried more weight and commanding power, if that was even possible. Silently, Percy waited for the voce to continue, but it remained silent. Percy sighed, dejected.

Reaching forward, he grabbed the pen and examined it intently. It looked just like any normal pen. Why give a pen a name, he wondered. With two fingers, he pried off the cap and yelped as the pen instantly changed form from a seemingly harmless writing utensil to a full length bronze sword. Percy dropped it and watched in awe as it clattered to the floor. It looked extremely familiar to him, as if he'd used it many times before. He picked the sword up by its hilt. It was perfectly balanced.

"Riptide…" Percy whispered, somehow translating it from Greek. He fingered the blade in wonder. "Super cool." He muttered, proudly.

* * *

**Bobby**

Morning was not the greatest in the cabin of Bacchus. In fact, morning was perhaps the worst. Why? Well, it was a cabin filled with teenagers who have a thing for partying and drinking wine. Lots of it. When one drinks a large quantity alcohol, they tend to get drunk, and in the morning…

"Hangover alert!" Someone close to Bobby cried.

_Blergh! _Bobby groaned as the camper next to him vomited the night's food and drink onto the floor. He pinched his nose with his fingers, disliking the smell of half-digested donuts and wine. Luckily for him, he drank very little the night before.

The vomitee wiped his mouth with a napkin. He then grabbed a chalice from the bed next to his table and poured its contents onto the vomit which was quickly spreading across the floor. On first impact, the murky stomach juice disappeared. When the boy put the chalice back onto its original location, it refilled with the same clear liquid.

"Thank Bacchus, for cleaning products!" he exclaimed, happily.

"Must it always be like this, Rich?" Bobby asked, annoyed.

The boy chuckled. "You should be used to it by now, Bob. You've been here for five years!" He had dark hair and a nose dotted with millions of freckles.

"Maybe I don't _want _to get used to it." All around the room, more cries of '_Hangover Alert!_' were heard followed by choking sounds and more vomiting. A girl screeched, caught in the crossfire. Bobby rolled his eyes.

Dressing himself, he made his bed and prepared to leave. He had to find Reyna. He promised to meet her outside of the Dining Hall. Walking up to the door, Bobby yelped as more people woke up and subsequently began to _thro_w up. They _had _to do something about this liquor problem. _Perhaps later_, Bobby thought wistfully.

Bobby clasped the golden doorknob and turned it. With a steady push, the cabin door opened and a light, pleasant breeze entered the cabin. He stepped out onto the paved cobblestone pathway happy to be outside. He closed the door behind him and examined the Bacchus cabin. He smiled in wonder, as he always had for the past five years. Each cabin was different; decorated different, built different, sometimes even coloured different. The Bacchus Cabin's exterior was magnificent, which was- as one would find, deceiving should one actually decide to _enter_. It was much like a house party. From the outside, you'd think its look cool with all the people milling about around it and the music and slight decorations. However, if you enter this aforementioned house party, in truth all you would find are a bunch of drunken people. _Story of my life, _Bobby thought. Diverting his attention back to the cabin, Bobby placed a palm on the smooth velvety surface of the long rectangular violet drape which hung horizontally over the grey wood-brick frame on the cabin.

Cabins in Camp Imperium were shaped like large rectangular prisms with flat rooftops. There was no rain and as such, there was no need for slanting ceilings. They were brick-layered for strength and looked much like war bunkers. On each side of the cabin entrances were placed small weapons caches that were readily available in the case of an emergency. These caches contained weapons of many sorts such as spears, falxes, hammers, and swords. Each Cabin was also draped, though each drape was different. Some were red; like the Mars cabin, some were blue; like the Neptune cabin, the cabin of Venus; pink, the cabin of Mercury; yellow, and so on. Each of these drapes also possessed an emblem or symbol which was emblazoned on both ends of the cloth, and represented which cabin said drape belonged to. For Bacchus cabin, their violet drape possessed a circular emblem. In the center of it was a dark blue chalice, filled to the brim with indigo-coloured wine. Around it weaved long, threadlike vines and over it was placed a dark violet laurel.

Bobby stared at it, mesmerized for a good minute and a half before turning away. He had to meet Reyna, he reminded himself. His other friends, Dakota, Gwen, and Hazel, would be there as well and he was excited to see them again. His mind strayed back to the boy from the night before. Percy Jackson. He was the same age as Reyna, Bobby thought, though from the look he saw in his eyes earlier, something about him wasn't right. He frowned. _This Percy better be tough, _he said. _Camp Imperium is not for the faint hearted._ Those words were in fact taken from the Camp Imperium brochure, which was given to the fauns during their recruitment missions. Recruitment had gone down because of the war, but now and again, new demigods would arrive, though they were usually much too young to be of any assistance in more troubling matters.

As he walked, Bobby hoped silently that Percy would not run into the Mars cabin. They did not take kindly to newcomers, or anyone at all for that matter. Their last 'pet' nearly _died. _He shuddered, remembering the humiliation that poor boy was put through. That boy ran away, never to return.


	4. Chapter 4

**IV  
**Camp Imperium

* * *

**Percy**

"Twenty four paces north of Neptune Cabin, seventy-three paces west." Percy read, a crumpled parchment loosely fluttering in his hands. He had just exited his newly cleaned cabin and was intent on finding forms of life beyond his own.

He was washed, his hair was brushed, and his clothing had been changed from the muddy, grass stained garments of the night prior. He did not bring his own clothing, obviously, as he had little recollection of any of his belongings. Upon waking, however, he had discovered that a satchel had been placed upon his aqua-blue bed sheets along with a note bearing the brief message, "_Dining Hall: 8 AM"_ and the map which he now currently held and studied.

Percy sighed pleasantly, his gaze casually drifting over the various cabins and the assortment of campers spilling out from within them.

Great curiosity overwhelmed him and threatened to crush him between its pointy-edged jaws unless his anxiety was relieved and his soul was given what it desired; knowledge and truth. He felt as if he were thrust into an exciting new world full of discoveries and adventure as well as dangers and great peril which would in due time unfold just as a book revealed its secrets with every turn of the page. In his mind, a tumultuous battle raged as the urge to run fought the urge to accept and explore, taking advantage of the situation that he was so kindly gifted. Part of him wanted to throw up, but another, more dominant part of him, felt that there was much to gain in this odd twist of fate and he couldn't help but smile.

Following the directions of the hand written map, Percy proceeded twenty-steps from the cobblestone yard of Neptune Cabin, his eyes never leaving the graphite etchings on the paper. He counted loudly with each step as to not miscalculate.

He had only reached the fourteenth step when he collided with a large object. He fell back, grunting painfully. A shadow covered the grass around him as he lay splattered on the floor breathing heavily, his thoughts a muddled mess. The aged map had escaped the weak grip of his fingers and billowed into the sky. Percy followed its flight with his light green orbs, worried that he would lose his way.

"Hello, dweeb." A mean gruff voice sneered.

Percy looked at the source of the voice and found himself eye-to-eye with a monster of a teenager who, by the looks of him, was not much older than he was. The boy wore a thin, devilish smirk which complimented the twinkling glare of his dark, red, pupils. His shoulders were heavy set and his muscular arms were riddled with scars. On his chest was a short-sleeved yellow shirt with a stripe running down the left sleeve and on top of that, the trademark vest of the camp. The vest bore the symbol of the wearer's lineage on the left breast, which in this case was the sword, and the letters **SPQR** in large dark colours on the back. The coloration of the vests were varied; depending on the cabin it belonged to. The boy towering before him wore a red vest, and judging by the sword-shaped symbol on his left breast, and the menacing claymore strapped to his back, Percy deduced that he was a son of the God of War, Mars.

For some odd reason, he found himself familiar with the various aspects of both Greek and Roman mythology. The former more familiar to him than the latter, but he was knowledgeable all the same; at least, more than a normal boy should be. His memories were foggy, but he was sure they would return and that his answers would come to him with time.

"Hey pipsqueak!" The boy shouted, wrenching Percy away from his moments of thought. "I'm talking to you!"

"Whu-?" Percy mumbled, confused at the brashness of the large boy's tone.

"Don't give me that confused puppy eyed stare, peasant!" He replied, angrily. "Commodus may think you're harmless, but I'm on to you!" He stabbed a finger in Percy's direction. "It is _no _coincidence that the very moment Jason disappears, you arrive on set!"

Percy raised a brow. He picked himself up off the floor, standing face-to-face with the red-faced son of Mars. "I don't know what you're talking about!" Percy found himself arguing, probably much louder than he wished. Anger is contagious, he thought to himself. Who knew?

"Yes you do." The boy answered, his tone lowering, a malicious glint sparking in his eyes. He unsheathed his sword, causing Percy to step back warily. "If you won't tell me why you've come, and where you took Jason, I will cut the truth from your lips! " He pointed the tip of the claymore at Percy's neck. "And the last thing you will remember is my gloriously handsome face yelling victoriously in triumph above your decapitated corpse!"

This outburst of self-glorification unnerved Percy and he reflexively pulled out his ball-point pen. "You have problems!" He shouted, cautiously wagging the golden writing utensil, prepared to uncap it at any moment. But before he could, a flurry of red hair appeared in front of him, and a loud _clang_ was heard, followed by smaller_ clinks _as the disarmed claymore skittered across the cobblestone pathway.

"Principes stand down!" The female voice ordered, a glinting shortsword dancing in the palm of her gloved left hand. _She's left-handed_. Percy observed.

The large, muscular boy stepped back, beset by this new foe. "Reyna..." he growled.

"Alexander." Reyna retorted smartly. The wind billowed and her hair swerved in various directions. Percy swooned, having been hit full blast by a pleasant odour which smelled of cherries. He smiled pleasantly, lost in the sweet smell. Percy caught glimpses of the girl's peachy skin and nearly buckled at her magnetic attractiveness.

"Why must you always ruin my fun, Reyna?" Alexander asked, gruffly, hatred blazing within his dark eyes. Neither the sweet perfume nor her apparent goddess-like beauty unnerved him.

"This is bullying, Alex. I will not stand for it."

Alexander laughed. "Bullying?" He repeated, incredulous. "We're treated like dirt every single day at this place and you call _this_bullying."

Reyna rolled her eyes. "We are not treated like _dirt_. We are pushed. It is a method. We aren't punished without reason. And you, are punishing a newcomer for no reason!"

"Don't tell me that you don't have doubts about this kid!" he argued.

"I won't, because I _do_ have doubts. But I don't act rashly upon them! If you have an issue, challenge him to a duel, like everyone else." Her glare was fierce, causing Alex to flinch. "Unless you're _afraid_?"

Alex snapped. "Afraid!" He laughed, his tone maniacal. "Of this twerp?" He pointed at Percy, who felt slightly offended at the thought of being called a twerp by the human incarnation of Jabba the Hut. "As if!" Alex continued. He stepped around Reyna and stared at Percy. Their eyes locked for a good minute. "You, me, Coliseum." He said, dangerously. "Noon." He then spun on his heel and marched away, picking up his claymore as he passed.

Reyna let loose a long, drawn-out sigh before turning towards Percy, who nearly fainted at the sight of such glorious beauty. "Are you alright?" she asked, concern present in her auburn-coloured eyes.

It took several moments for Percy to recuperate and as such, an awkward twenty-second moment of silence followed. "Y-yeah." He finally managed. Another ten seconds of silence.

Eager to have a conversation with this girl, Percy looked back to a name she had called the boy named Alex. "You're Reyna, right?" he began. The girl nodded, her crimson hair bouncing up and down. "That big dude... Alex was it?" She nodded again, allowing him to continue. "You called him Principes. Is that like his nickname or something?"

Reyna raised a brow, as if expecting a different question, such as '_Why was he being such a pain the rectum?'_Nevertheless, she decided to answer, "Because you seem to be new to this camp, I'll tell you."

Percy noted her use of the words 'seem to be'. She's suspicious of me, he thought.

Reyna continued. "We go by a ranking system which affects us in various aspects. The higher your rank, the greater responsibility you have. But there are perks as well, such as having authority over lower ranks like that prick Alexander, and generally being safer during times of war. Higher ranks get access to better weaponry and armour, as well as access to the super cool spa room in the Camper's Lounge." She nodded her head south, probably the direction of the aforementioned building.

"We have six ranks." she went on, holding up two hands. One of them was completely open while the other was clenched, save for her thumb to emphasize the number_ '6'_. "First there are the peasants, which is currently your group." Percy flushed, slightly embarrassed. "You don't have many perks and you generally do what you're told. You don't see much action, partly due to being untrained, but are sometimes sent forward in battle to reinforce our flanks." Upon seeing his concern, Reyna added, "But don't worry, I think Commodus has a plan for you. You may not start off as a peasant."

Percy nodded, motioning for her to carry one. She returned his nod.

"The second rank is known as the light auxilia rank. They're not that much of a step up from peasants. They get basic leather body armour, a small round shield, and a javelin to go along with their close range weapon of choice. In battle, they're basically the first to charge in, and usually the first to die. It sounds cruel, I know, but you do not go up in rank without being tested first. All of us higher-ups have been through it."

"Cannon fodder..." Percy whispered, and Reyna gave him a sad, knowing look. He figured she must have lost many friends during her tenure at the camp.

"Moving on," she said. "The third rank is the auxilia. Like light auxilia, they're one of the first to fight, but they're better armed, and more skilled. After the auxilia, you have the big guns. The Legion, which feature three lines of infantry. They participate in the bulk of the combat and are extremely tough. The first line of the legion is composed of fourth rank campers, known as Hastati. They're the front line. They're less experienced than the other two lines, but are still pretty mean."

"The second line consists of rank five campers, the Principes. My good buddy Alex is part of this line." Reyna added the final sentence with a great amount of sarcasm. "They're more experienced, slightly older, and were expected to turn the tables on the worn out opponent should they get that far."

"The third and final line consists of the rank six Triarii. They're the cream of the crop, the big Kahunas. They're our best warriors" She smiled. "We get tons of perks." She winked at him.

"So you're Triarii?" he asked, though he already knew the answer. She gave him a beaming smile that said, "_Hell Yes!"_

"My friends Dakota, Bobby, Gwendolyn, Hazel, and I; we're all Triarii." She explained.

"How about that Jason person Alex mentioned?" Percy inquired, genuinely intrigued. Although, upon saying, he immediately realized that he had touched upon a fragile subject.

A film of tears lined Reyna's eyes, which disappeared almost as swiftly as they came. "Jason," she said, swallowing. "Was our general." She wiped her eyes with the hem of her sleeve.

_'Was'. _Percy frowned, sadly, wishing he had never asked.

Seeing his worry, Reyna gave Percy a fleeting smile. "C'mon," she said, tugging his sleeve. "Breakfast starts in twenty minutes."


	5. Chapter 5

**_Author's Note #1: Just to clear a few things up from the reviews: Reyna's mom is Aphrodite/Venus. I also was not able to fit the fight scene into this chapter, so sorry if it's an inconvenience. Before you read, keep in mind that this is my version of the story and that it's not official and it most certainly is not perfect so please review and critique me so that I could improve. __Even if you just have some suggestions for the plot or some insights on the workings of Camp Imperium, it would be greatly welcome._**

**-Thanks, FantasyFoSho**

* * *

**Percy**

The Dining Hall came into sight within minutes, but not for the reasons Percy had hoped. Obscured behind a small hill, he believed that the Hall would still be nearly a half-hour away, but he was wrong. The second after he and Reyna had scaled the ridge of grass covered soil, the Hall came into view. It was not close to his cabin as the map had led him to believe. No, the reason for such an early sighting was the fact that the Dining Hall was _enormous_.

It was like a mini-castle; a moat, followed by a large granite wall which traced around a sturdy rectangular building. Upon the wall, a guard of crimson-clad soldiers marched round and round, scanning the outlying area for any signs of unusual activity. And occasionally, on one of the larger cylindrical parapets, a trebuchet would be perched in case extra fire power was needed.

Nestled between clumps of trees, a single pathway snaked through the small forest leading into the raised bridge of the moat. The forest was tamed and well-kept. From where Percy was standing, he could see that there was little excess shrubbery and the spaces between the trees were easily visible, perhaps in case of an attack. Beyond the forest and before the moat was a small clearance which allowed the archers perched on the walls a target to fire at during an invasion, and in the areas where the bridge was not present, there were placed sharpened wooden stakes to prevent the enemy from swimming across or from building their own crossing.

In the corner of his eye, Percy found Reyna studying him. Those bright golden-brown eyes were piercing and he resisted the urge to stare back at them, fearful that he would forever be lost within them. He pointed instead at the castle-slash-dining-hall hybrid.

"Why is it so... extravagant?" he wondered.

Reyna quit staring at him and followed the direction his finger was pointing towards. "The Dining Hall?" she asked, rhetorically. "Oh! You mean why is it surrounded by a wall and a moat?"

Percy nodded, his ocean greens meeting her beautiful browns.

"It didn't always look like that." she explained. "The Dining Hall used to be one large tent, but as time went on, it was felt that we needed a more defensible position to fall back to in case the camp's main defences were breached. So, the Dining Hall was converted into a keep."

"Oh." was Percy's feeble reply.

"Well, we can't tarry. Let's just get there before Commodus makes his announcement."

"Does he make on every day?" Percy inquired.

"Well... No. But seeing your arrival may trigger some kind of statement from him."

"Right." Percy muttered, distracted. He for one was actually looking forward to this impending announcement in hope that it may reveal something about him that he did not already know, such as his reason for arriving at this camp, where he was really from, and what their plan for him was.

He followed Reyna silently towards the Dining Hall, over the moat, and into the large castle-like structure.

"This is amazing..." Percy whispered, his eyes wide as they entered the building into a large, spacey hallway that shone with divine magnificence.

"I thought so too when I first saw it." Came the whispered reply, filled with emotion stemming from many fond memories.

Above them, crystal chandeliers dangled and glowed, radiating lights of various colours. On the walls, silver torches were hung, their flame unneeded. The marble walls were of great workmanship, featuring mosaic depictions of heroic victories and historic events. On one tile was a picture of a boy with blonde hair, piercing blue eyes, and a scar on his upper lip who stood victorious with his golden blade raised in triumph. Behind him, a dark mountain stood shrouded in flames, threatening to crumble. _Veni, vedi, vici_. The caption read.

Percy studied it with interest for a few moments, until realizing Reyna had already run past, threatening to desert him.

"Wait up!" he cried, shuffling forward with anxiety.

"Stop gawking." she told him, solemnly. "We're here."

She had stopped at a large, rowan door with golden doorknobs. Beyond it, he could hear a great tumult of voices and snippets of conversation. "Ladies first?" he insisted, his hands forming a gesture of passage. Reyna gave him a friendly smile and proceeded forth. She clasped the knob with a gloved hand, twisted, and pulled. The door swung open and Percy's eyes filled once again with wonder.

The Dining Hall was huge, and even that would be an understatement. If he were take the image of the building's exterior and compare with an image of its interior, he would have said that the interior image was _at least_three times larger.

He turned to Reyna preparing to comment, but before he could she whispered, "_Magic."_

Magic? Percy wondered. He figured if they could bring back souls from the dead, then magic might not be so far off either.

"The gods decided to grant us this one building imbued with magical power for the work the camp has accomplished over the years. It's kind of like a lifetime achievement award, and it's really useful. In the event of an attack, if our front line were overwhelmed, we could literally pull back all of our troops and make our last stand in this one room."

Percy could only nod. He was busy staring at the place and the people who occupied it. There had to be _at least_ a thousand people in this room. There were probably a lot more than that. He caught glimpses of various coloured vests and identified them as demigods.

The others in the room however, were different. Most of them were older, probably in between their early twenties and late forties. Most were clad in Roman Military garb, with varying weaponry and armour. Some carried tower shields and the spatha while others carried round shields and a spear, or pila.

"Our army." Reyna commented, following his gaze. "Most are still undergoing the revival process. These guys are the survivors."

"Survivors?"

"Of the war. A few months ago we were at war against a large force of monsters led by the Titan _Kronos_."

The name caused an explosion of colours in Percy's vision. He stumbled back, groaning. His eyes were closed, but before him a scene played out. A large ugly mass was moving across the land, surrounded by storm clouds. A giant rippling arm swiped at some invisible thing around it. Lightning flashed. The monster stumbled back, a grey spot of soot appearing on its chest. Another flash. This time, the scene changed. He was in a throne room, except there was more than one form. There were two shadowy figures. One held a scythe, the other held a sword. The sword bearer's figure reminded Percy of his own. Could they possibly be related? Before he could ponder anything else, another flash occurred and he felt as if someone had lashed out at him.

"Percy!" he heard a female voice cry. _Annabeth_. The name had suddenly appeared in his mind. He wondered who that was.

"Percy!" another voice called, more powerful, louder. The world returned to form, and Percy found himself propped against the wall, staring at the face of a concerned Reyna. Behind her, he could see other campers glancing at him in interest and poorly-hid fear. "Are you alright?" Reyna asked.

Percy nodded, still unsure of what had just happened.

* * *

**Bobby**

Where was she? Bobby wondered. He looked around the Dining Hall, searching for that extravagant red hair he had become so accustomed to seeing. Around him, seated at the same table were his friends. Hazel, the green-eyed blonde from Apollo Cabin; Gwendolyn, the auburn-haired daughter of Ceres; and Dakota, the silver-haired teenager from the cabin of Minerva.

"If you're looking for Reyna," Hazel said, munching on an apple, "I saw her race away towards that new kid's cabin. She looked a little concerned, if you ask me."

"I don't blame her." Dakota mumbled, devouring her yogurt. "After losing Jason..."

"You think he's alright?" It was Gwendolyn, the quietest of their group. She possessed a wispy voice that could only be heard by one who was accustomed to it or if the entire room had stopped talking all at once. Normally, a tiny voice would not bode well in the camp but her brains more than made up for her speech difficulties. Lupa had found favour in her.

"Yeah, I'm sure he's fine." Hazel replied, seemingly unconcerned. Bobby looked at her. He could see through her eyes that she didn't believe herself. She never really was a good liar, he thought.

Bobby was devastated. He stared at his full wine glass sullenly, not in the mood for alcohol.

"Oh, cheer up Bob!" Dakota smiled, punching him playfully. "Jason will get through this. He always has."

Bobby nodded unconvincingly. _Everyone thought Atilla the Hun was invincible. But then one day, his luck ran out. He died._Bobby clenched his fists, angry at himself for thinking such awful thoughts. Get your head in the game, man!

"It's Reyna!" Dakota said, pointing.

Bobby's head snapped towards the entrance. Sure enough, she was there. And sure enough, so was the new kid. Percy, was it? Calmly, he took his time to examine this new face. Dark hair, green eyes, moderate build, a look of confusion and wonder... What a wimp! He thought. He turned away, anticipating Reyna's arrival at their table.

Mere moments had passed when he suddenly heard Gwendolyn's soft, frightened voice. "Wh-what's happening to him?" His gaze drifted back to Percy, who had backed up towards the wall, his eyes glassy and foggy. He was shaking uncontrollably, as if staring at something frightening. Bobby knew this scene. Percy was having a vision, and from the looks of things, it was not good. More people had put their attention towards the shivering boy. They were both concerned and spiteful. Bobby knew many of them blamed Percy for Jason's disappearance, him included. They were just afraid to speak their minds, for fear of Lupa's retribution, which was deadly and swift. An angry Lupa is bad news for anyone.

Bobby shook his head, clearing it.

Moments later, the seizing stopped and Percy was left propped against the wall, panting heavily. His eyes were wild as if he were trying to stare at all four corners of the building at the same time. He could hear Reyna yelling, trying to get the boy's attention, eventually succeeding.

Several of the campers close to him breathed a collective sigh of relief. Bobby laughed. They were probably afraid that Percy might explode or something, in culmination of a sinister plot set by one of their old foes. It was crazy talk. He turned around, staring at the large section where the bulk of the Roman Legion was seated. They all looked calm. Like cucumbers. He smiled, never really getting the comparison.

The non-demigod soldiers in the camp were many. They numbered in the thousands and were housed in organized bunkers which were placed strategically within the camp so that it was easily defensible. Like the magical Dining Hall, these bunkers were more or less the same. It's interior provided more room than its exterior would lead one to believe, though not to the ginormous extent of the Hall, which was unique in that aspect.

The warriors were supposed to be dead, like normal mortals, but were granted life by the gods for their brave deeds in battle and their allegiance to Camp Imperium.

But life was granted only if they chose it. And these men have. They had plead allegiance to Rome, Imperium, and its protectorates; the gods. Whole legions were resurrected; 12 in total, 10 of which had already been defeated, their eagles shattered by the might of their foes.

During the assault on Mount Tam, five legions had set off, and two had returned (_Imperia _and _Scipii)_, battered and bruised but not defeated. The war against the Titans had been won, but the victory was bittersweet. Many lives were lost.

The Legion was structured with ranks much like the Camp. In fact, in times of war, demigods themselves were immersed into the massive armies, to lead and reinforce the troops. Heroes were placed in strategic positions where the fighting would be fierce. Bobby, being Triarii, was usually placed next to the older, more experienced soldiers, also called Triarii.

Though the Roman ranking system was changed through the reforms of General Gaius Marius, Camp Imperium stayed firm, as did its Legions, retaining the pre-Marian system.

"Bobby!" shouted Dakota, pouncing on him. "He's coming over here."

Bobby snapped out of his musings, and brought his attention back towards Reyna. She was walking towards their table. The new kid was straggling along.

"Great." he mumbled, a playful smile playing on his lips. "Let's meet him."

* * *

**_Author's Note #2: The end of the chapter may have seemed a bit tedious, but I thought I needed to explain the presence of the Roman Soldiers a bit more so I added a brief summary/history. Basically, the soldiers were employed by Camp Imperium during the peak of Roman Rule and stuck with the camp during many hardships including the Barbarian Invasions and the multiple assaults by monsters. Because of this, they were offered immortality as long as they continued to serve the Camp. But when the eagle of their legion falls, that entire army disappears. There are two remaining legions, Legion I Imperia, and Legion II Scipii, which is named after a famous Roman General *hint hint* to you History buffs. Also, if you're wondering why there aren't any Jason/Camp Half-Blood parts, it's because I'm trying to keep the timelines consistent. I believe Percy and Jason swapped sides at the same time, which meant they had to go through trials at roughly the same time as well. If I were to add Jason / Camp Half-Blood sections, it would essentially just be a remake of TLH. Unless you want me to do Nico's POV, which I've been thinking of doing. Tell me in the reviews section what you think! And thanks for reading!  
_**


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